Delbert and Amelia: ABCs
by DisneyOTPFanatic
Summary: I' m baaaaaaaack! Chapter 8 and up should be a better quality, and hopefully the updates will come more often. If you don't know, this story is a series of one-shots, paired with a one word theme. Each letter of the alphabet gets a one-shot! Enjoy! (also, thank you to the reader from China for being my very first reader for this story! Yes i saw you lol)
1. Chapter 1: Agitation

**A/N: Hey guys! Don't worry, my unfinished stories aren't abandoned… I just have noooo inspiration for them. I'll come up with something. Or, feel free to message me ideas or review on whatever story what you think should happen next! Anyway, to pacify my own urge for more Delbert/Amelia fluff, I bring you… The Doppler Couple Alphabet...Thing! Yeah. o.o Basically, each chapter will be based off of one word that starts with each letter of the alphabet. If you wanna help, leave a word that starts with the next letter in the reviews of the chapter you just read for me to do. So, since this one starts with A, the next word has to start with B. Got it? Alrighty! Enjoy!**

 _A: Agitation_

He was always late. It was like he couldn't help it. Everytime she had asked him to meet with her, whether it was for business matters or tea and just pleasant conversing, he always managed to be at least 10 minutes late. At first Amelia thought it kind of amusing to hear his excuses for each occurrence, but now it was just annoying. They had been seeing each other for a few weeks now, and Amelia had only agreed to meet with him on The Legacy every time because he was afraid Sarah and Jim would be in the way if they met at his home. But now she was tempted to go to his house herself, if only to berate him about his tardiness.

25 Minutes Late

Amelia glanced at her watch and sighed, then let her mind drift. She realized that she had never actually been to Delbert's home and had no vehicle of her own. Therefore, she would have no way of getting there, wherever it was. She would just end up wandering Montressor, forced to ask the residents where his house was, probably giving them the impression that she was some kind of floozy. Amelia found herself getting more and more cross, the more she thought about it. She looked up at the clock, then grabbed her lukewarm cup of tea and sipped it angrily. And to think she had worn a t-shirt and jeans for him! He had mentioned that as much as he loved seeing her in her captain's uniform, it would be nice to see her dressed more casually for a change. Amelia had merely laughed and proceeded to tease him about him wanting to see her out of her clothes, which he tried to negate.

30 Minutes Late

Delbert was probably just now realizing he had arranged to meet with her. He was probably stumbling out of bed, his hair disheveled and clothes wrinkled. Amelia fought back a smile as she imagined Delbert tripping on his way to fix himself, then falling down the stairs before grabbing his jacket and sprinting out the door.

"Bumbling idiot…" she muttered, almost nicking her teeth on the rim of her tea cup. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this bitter… This annoyed… This... agitated.

37 Minutes Late

She should just leave. Leave, go back to her apartment near the Academy Headquarters, and let him show up and bang on the door until he realized he was too late. Amelia looked out of the window and sighed. The sun was setting. It had been high in the sky when she had shown up. She felt her blood starting to boil as a very unlikely scenario popped in her head. In this anger-fueled scenario, Delbert was wandering his home in his pajamas, joking with Sarah Hawkins about every day things. In this scenario, Delbert suddenly remembers his commitment to Amelia, then looks out the window and decides he's too late, then continues his conversation after saying he would apologize for not showing up at a later date.

45 Minutes Late

Amelia slammed her hand down on her desktop, her face burning. How dare he! Suddenly, Amelia realized that Delbert would never do that. Not to her. He was too sweet… too caring. She sighed and ran her now stinging fingers through her hair before standing. She had given him too much time. If he was coming, he would've come by now. She reached over and grabbed her jacket, slipped it on, then walked out her stateroom door. She felt a chill run down her spine as the chilly night air danced over her exposed face. She pulled up her hood and stepped off of her ship, then checked her watch one more time.

1 Hour and 5 Minutes Late

He wasn't coming. For whatever reason, he wasn't coming to see her. Amelia let this realization sink in, and winced as she felt her heart drop. After pulling herself together, she slipped out into the night, headed home.

 **MEANWHILE…**

"No more questions please. Now...This has been very nice, and I thank Mr. Teneflous for inviting me to speak tonight, but I have an...Engagement I should've been at eons ago. Please excuse me."

Delbert practically sprinted down the halls of the Royal Academy's Science Wing.

"Latelatelatelate...soooo late...dang it ..latelatelate…" he mumbled, ignoring how badly his lungs ached from his frantic running.

"Amelia's going to be so upset… Oh dear why did I agree to speak to that darn class?!"

Delbert jumped in his carriage and snapped the reigns, panicking even more when he saw how dark it was outside. The moon and stars twinkled silently overhead, which normally would've captivated Delbert, but now they were mocking him. They seem to be saying, "You chose us over her… She'll never forgive you… Not this time." Delbert shook away the thoughts and snapped the reigns harder, urging poor Deliliah to sprint like an Olympic racehorse.

Once he reached the Spaceport, Delbert almost broke down sobbing. The Legacy was completely dark. No one was there. A few stragglers walked around the Spaceport, enjoying the night sky and the atmosphere, but that was it. Delbert sunk to his knees, struggling to regain his breath. He felt just awful. Amelia had been expecting him… And he failed. Once he was a bit calmer, he checked his watch.

He was almost 2 hours late. No wonder she had gone home.

He could imagine how angry and hurt she was. Over the last few weeks, he had tried his hardest to be on time, but always ended up 10 minutes or so late. Amelia had said she didn't mind much, but Delbert had promised that he wouldn't ever been later than 10 minutes...Because he cared about her and knew her time was precious. She must've felt so betrayed…

Delbert slowly stood up, then noticed a strange looking couple standing near him, staring up at The Legacy.

"Hm…" said the woman, her scaly green skin making her look a tad bit evil.

"Hm indeed…" said the man, his smirk just as sinister.

Delbert looked at them for a moment, then stepped over and tapped the man on the shoulder. The man turned and offered a weak smile.

"Yes?"

"Um… I couldn't help but overhear… You um… You seem to be kind of i-interested in this ship."

"Huh? What…? Oh! Oh, no. No…"

"We were merely noticing that poor captain woman finally went home." the woman said, clicking her tongue and shaking her head. "It's a shame she had to stay so late…

Her husband nodded.

"She left about… Half an hour or so ago. Looked pretty hurt by the looks of it. Anyway, we'd best be going. It's getting cold out."

And they left without another word. Delbert just stood there, partially wondering why he was always the one running into odd people, and mostly wondering why Amelia had waited so long.

"Was she… Honestly willing to wait all night for m-me?" He whispered, wandering back his carriage. He gently patted Delilah's head, then climbed in.

He didn't know what to do, or where to go. He knew he should head home… But Amelia deserved an apology or something. Anything. But, she must be so angry at him… No. Home it was. Home to bed, then apologies in the morning. Delbert sighed and snapped the reigns, then closed his eyes and relaxed, knowing Delilah knew how to get back planet-side.

Which was why he was so shocked when he woke up in front of Amelia's apartment.

"D...Delilah? What… Why did you… this isn't…" Delbert yawned and slid out of the carriage, walking to Delilah and staring at her. Delilah merely licked his face in response.

Delbert gagged, then smiled and gently kissed her nose.

"I understand."

All Delbert remembered after that was knocking on Amelia's front door, and receiving a punch to the nose.

 **A/N: BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! NOT SUCH A HAPPY ENDINGGGGG! lol dont worry. i think the next chapter will have something to do with them making up or something. I dunno. Review! See ya!**


	2. Chapter 2: Balanced

**A/N: Sup guys! I saw that a lot of people viewed the first chapter, but no one reviewed, which is why I haven't updated yet. I was going to update yesterday, but with all the views and no reviews, I thought this story was actually awful and headed down the toilet. But, I'm home sick today and realized that maybe people are just waiting for the second chapter! Soooo...Here ya go!**

 _B: Balanced_

"Gah! Geez, Amelia! My nose!" Delbert fell back onto his butt, holding his throbbing nose.

"That's for standing me up, you buffoon." Amelia growled, crossing her arms.

Delbert looked up, prepared to growl his explanation, but when his eyes settled on Amelia's face, he stopped. The light from her open door made her skin glow, and the chilly breeze made her hair blow out around her head like sun rays. She was wearing an orange t-shirt with a smiley face on the sleeve and blue jeans. A frown was still plastered firmly on her face, but he could see the quiet excitement in her eyes. Perhaps she wasn't that angry. Delbert slowly stood, making sure he kept a reasonable distance. She glared at him, her ears flat against her head.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"U-Um...I… I'm sorry, Amelia." he said weakly, prepared for the verbal berating she was about to give.

And of course, Amelia delivered.

"You're sorry? Oh really, wow! Woooow I feel so bloody flattered!" Amelia shouted, poking him squarely in the chest.

"It's all just fine and dandy now because you're _sorry_! You honestly think that after standing me up for 2 hours, forcing me to leave my ship alone like some kind of… I don't bloody know!" She continued to shout, ignoring the complaints from her neighbors. "I waited for you, Delbert! I...waited… _for you!"_ she said, her voice softening a little. "I showed up on time and waited a good 10 minutes before I realized… You were standing me up. But did I leave like a reasonable person would, no! I sat in my bloody stateroom like a neophyte, as if you would still show up!" she hissed, and Delbert noticed her eyes were glistening, as if tears were trying to force their way out.

Delbert opened his mouth to speak but Amelia shut him down.

"I don't want to hear it! After all you put me through today, you have the bloody _audacity_ to show up at my home and expect me to just forgive you?! I am the distinguished captain of The RLS Legacy! I don't need this stress, I don't need this frustration and I don't need you! Now just...Go away!" She yelled, prepared to slam the door in Delbert's face.

But the door never closed. Something was caught in it. Amelia looked down, and the tips of her ears burned as she realized it was Delbert's foot. She growled, but didn't try to close it.

"Go away, Delbert." she said quietly, tears rolling down her cheeks. She inwardly punched herself when her voice cracked.

Delbert took a deep breath.

"No."

"N-No?"

"No."

Amelia hesitated, then opened the door slowly. Delbert stood there still, his nose red and turning a little purple. It was then that Amelia saw the rumpled clothes, the disheveled hair, and the mud on his shoes. She glanced behind him at his carriage and saw several binders on the seat. Delbert sighed softly.

"I'm truly sorry, Amelia. I'm sorry I was late. Beyond late. Unbelievably late. But… I h-have a reasonable excuse. I.. Could I please explain inside?"

Amelia thought for a moment, then noticed that most of her neighbors had some out their homes and was watching them. She sighed and let him in. She closed the door, then wouldn't let him walk any farther than the front door.

"Explain." she said softly. He stared at the floor, afraid to see her reaction as he spoke.

"Well, um…" he started, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was called this morning b-by my old professor at the Academy. He...He asked me to come speak to his astronomy class this afternoon. I agreed, mostly because he was my absolute favorite professor, but I made sure t-that he knew I had… Another place I needed to be at right after. But… The class kept asking questions and such. I tried to get away but they were so intrigued and… Long story short, if I could go back in time, I would've said no."

He sighed softly and took a step towards Amelia, noticing how she flinched a little. He gently took her hands in his, running his thumbs over her knuckles softly. He finally looked up and into her eyes, startled by the confusion he found there. It was as if she wanted to forgive him… To believe him.. But she couldn't.

"Amelia, nothing is more important to me than seeing you." he said sincerely, forcing a smile.

Amelia just stood there, unsure what to say or do. Finally, she pulled her hands away from Delbert's and turned her back to him. She paused, then walked off into another room.

Delbert sighed heavily and ran his arm over his sweat-slicked forehead. All that running and the stress from talking to her had done a number on his body. All for nothing. Amelia was still very angry, and it seemed as if she hadn't believed him. He let out a weak sigh, then turned to the door. His hand had just touched the doorknob when he heard Amelia clear her throat behind him.

"Where do you think you're going, Delbert?"

He spun around, blushing a little.

"U-Um..I...I thought…"

Amelia rolled her eyes and gently grabbed his hand, then led him into the living area of her apartment. He looked around, still quite confused. The walls were a deep maroon, and there was a bookshelf against the farthest wall. There was a very plush couch and loveseat in the middle of the room, along with a coffee table and a lamp. There was a hallway off to the right, which he was guessing led to her bedroom. He felt his cheeks burning as he noticed that they were headed for the couch, which gave him a perfect angle of the hallway. Her bedroom door was open, but he didn't see much thankfully. Amelia had him sit on the couch, then sat next to him and angled herself so that their knees were touching. Delbert opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him by gently pressing an ice pack against his nose.

"A-Amelia…?" he stuttered, wincing a little.

"...I must say that… Although it bothers me to do so…" her eyes met his, and her cheeks tinted pink. "I apologize, Delbert. I shouldn't have hit you."

Delbert was silent for a moment, then smiled and gently grabbed her wrist and moved it back to her lap.

"You had every reason to. I...I should've called or s-something."

Amelia smiled softly.

"Well, I understand why you didn't. Perhaps...Next time we should make sure both of our schedules are clear, don't you agree?" she asked while standing to put the ice pack away.

Delbert nodded, then realized that she probably couldn't see him.

"Oh, um yes. Next time we should."

Amelia walked back in and looked at his nose, running her finger over it gently. Delbert felt chills run down his spine.

"There'll be a bruise, but it should go away in a few days. So...seeing as it's gotten sort of late, I suggest you head on home Delbert." she smiled so he wouldn't think she was kicking him out.

Delbert smiled and stood, almost tripping. "Y-Yes I should be going. So um…"

Amelia walked to the front door, and Delbert followed. She opened it and let him step out, then leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed as he turned back to face her.

"I… I'm really sorry about today, Amelia. If i-it's alright with y-you, I'd like to make it u-up to you tomorrow."

Amelia fought back a blush and tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"Hm… Tomorrow… Around what time?"

"T-Time?" To be honest, Delbert wasn't expecting her to accept. "How about…Noon?"

"Why so early, Delbert? Eager, are we?" she said with a smirk.

"U-Um…"

"Relax, I'm merely teasing."

"O-Oh. Heh." Delbert chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

"So, tomorrow, at noon… Where?"

Delbert bit his lip nervously, then took a breath and spoke.

"The Benbow?"

Amelia smiled and fought back a giggle. She knew that Ms. Sarah Hawkins ran The Benbow, and that he would be the most comfortable there.

"That sounds lovely, Delbert. I'll see you tomorrow." she said with a smile, now quietly hanging on the door, ready to close it.

Delbert smiled and fumbled a little before nodding.

"Y-Yes, see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Amelia."

Amelia smiled and watched him to his carriage and climb in, then blushed when he looked back at her and gave her a sweet smile. She smiled and waved a little, then watched him leave.

She walked to her bedroom, turning off lights as she went. As she changed into her pajamas, she thought about what had happened.

Delbert was a bumbling, forgetful, clumsy mess. It was extremely infuriating and bothersome when he forgot things, fell and ruined things, or took several minutes to get a sentence out… But somehow whenever she was with him… She felt complete.

Amelia's life was far from calm or normal, and having Delbert around made it just a little bit easier to handle. She climbed into bed, trying to stop thinking about Delbert, her cheeks burning. As she slowly fell asleep, one word slid into her head… One word that described exactly the way she felt whenever Delbert touched her hand or gave her that smile of his. It described how she had felt when Delbert had carried her all the way to BEN's house back on Treasure Planet. It described how she felt when she had looked in his eyes tonight and seen how truly apologetic he was about not being there earlier. She felt…

Balanced.

 **A/N: I can't even… Geez. This chapter was more like me going: "NOW WHAT NOW WHAT NOW WHAT WHY WHAT HUH WHAT OK" so.. If this isn't all that great then… Now you know why. Review please! Love ya! 3**


	3. Chapter 3: Careful and Cautious

**A/N: Wow! Well I had a very pleasant surprise to wake up to this morning! 4 reviews, including one by Spirit Marcher! :D :D :D I'm sooo happy you guys like this story, and I was actually going to not make this a continuing story, because it's hard to stay inspired, but I suppose I can keep it the way it is. So...Enjoy!**

 _C: Careful and Cautious (i used 2 this time lol)_

He was nothing but careful. He was careful to make sure he snuck into his house quietly as not to rouse the guests he still had living there. He was careful to avoid the stairs that creaked as he walked up to bed. He was careful to close his creaky bedroom door, that was in need of some serious WD-40, as quickly as he could so the creaks didn't last. He was very careful when he climbed into bed and set his alarm for 9am the next day, so he would have plenty of time to get ready for his date with Amelia.

He wasn't careful when he smacked the snooze button for his alarm a few times, thinking he had plenty of time to get up. He wasn't careful when he finally fell out of bed at 11:30 and rushed to the bathroom. He was extremely careless as he sprinted down the stairs, tripping halfway down and falling the rest of the way. He tried to be careful walking to the front door, but was caught off guard when Sarah proceeded to point out some details he needed to adjust before going anywhere. For example, he was still in his pajamas, his hair was a mess, he had toothpaste on his nose, and he wasn't wearing shoes. Delbert sighed and decided to go a bit slower this time around and be just a tiny bit more careful.

He was careful when he picked up the phone in his room and dialed her number. He smiled as he heard her wide-awake voice on the other end, and blushed when she chuckled and said,

"I was expecting you to call. Overslept, hm?"

"U-Um...Y-Yes. I had my a-alarm set several h-hours ago but I…"

"Hit the snooze button?" she said, her smile evident in her voice.

"Yes."

"Let me guess, you're a rumpled mess, and you need more time to get ready so tha you're presentable for our…" Amelia swallowed, she couldn't bring herself to say that word yet. "ahem...Meeting today."

Delbert smiled and wished he could see her eyes laughing good-naturedly at him.

"That would be c-correct."

"Well then, I will see you at 1pm. Don't be late, Delbert." she said, then hung up.

Delbert let out a long sigh and checked the clock.

 **11:55**

He found himself smiling as he walked back to the bathroom to do it right this time.

 _TRANSITTTIIIIOOONNNNN_

Amelia carefully hopped off of the transport right in front of The Benbow, biting her lip nervously. She had never been nervous about a meeting before… What had changed? Amelia laughed to herself when she realized that she knew exactly what had changed. She looked around, and smiled as she took in the new and improved Benbow Inn. She knew that Sarah and James Hawkins ran this place, and were both staying with Delbert until their new home was finished. Amelia took a deep breath, then walked up the walkway to the door.

Delbert was sitting at the farthest table at the back, away from the area where kids were screaming and dancing and squirming in their parents' arms. He saw Amelia walk in and smiled. She wore a simple blue shirt, white capris, and flats. She looked the perfect amount of relaxed and poised. He stood and walked over to her, maneuvering through tables. The new Benbow was more spacious, but with half the planet of Montressor showing up every day, it got a bit crowded. He finally made it to her and tapped her shoulder. She spun around and smiled.

"Hello, Delbert."

"Hello, Amelia. I um...I have a table already, if you'll follow me."

Amelia nodded and followed him, but got a little uneasy when she kept getting held up by people in the way. Halfway through, Delbert bit his lip and reached for her hand, pulling her with him. She blushed furiously, but was glad that she could finally keep up with him. She blushed when she realized just how perfectly their hands fit together. Once they got to the table, he let go, but she felt a tinge of reluctance coming from him. He pulled out her chair for her and let her sit, then sat across from her.

"Quite busy today, isn't it?" Amelia mused, looking around at all the laughing and smiling patrons.

Delbert fumbled for a second before nodding and looking around.

"Y-Yes… Actually, it's been l-like this since we r-reopened it."

"Ms. Hawkins must be exhausted."

"Oh, you'd think so wouldn't you?" Delbert said with a smile, blushing as Amelia returned her gaze to him. "Actually, Sarah seems happier now than she was before."

Amelia laughed softly and rolled her eyes.

"Lots of business means lots of money. Delbert. You may not be able to buy happiness, but money definitely helps." she said with a chuckle as she sipped some of the water that had been set out.

"Well...Sometimes…" Delbert said softly, swirling his own water with his straw.

Amelia tilted her head, not sure if she was reading him correctly. Was that…. Remorse? Sadness?

"Delbert?"

Delbert looked up, then smiled.

"I'm alright, d-don't worry about me."

Amelia smiled a little then softened her voice.

"What did you mean by 'sometimes'?"

Delbert debated telling her, but the look in her eyes… The complete curiosity and trust there… How could he hide anything from her? The way she was looking at him was as if he was the most interesting person on the planet. He liked the way it made him feel. It made him feel important.

"Well it… See, I… I have… I'm not…" he struggled, embarrassed about admitting how well off he was.

Suddenly, Sarah strode up to the table, writing something down on the notepad in her hand.

"Hello!...welcome to... The Benbow... how can I help you?" she said distractedly, her eyes on her pad.

Delbert laughed softly and spoke.

"Hello Sarah."

Sarah looked up, then grinned.

"Oh hello, Delbert! I didn't know you were coming by today! Sorry, I've been swamped since 5am...Remind me to have Jim change our hours to 10-9. These early mornings are just- Oh. Hello…"

Delbert bit his lip as Sarah finally realized he was with someone. Amelia smiled good-naturedly and laughed softly.

"Hello Ms. Hawkins."

Sarah smiled and looked at Delbert, then gestured with her head off to the side.

"Um… Delbert? Can I speak with you for a moment?"

Delbert swallowed and nodded. Oh why hadn't he told Sarah about Amelia already? He stood then gently touched Amelia's hand.

"I'll be right b-back."

Amelia smiled and rolled her eyes.

"I'll be here."

Delbert walked over to where Sarah was, then followed her into the kitchen. Once there, Sarah smacked his chest hard.

"Ouch! Sarah!"

"Why didn't you tell me?!" She said grinning.

"Tell you w-what?" he groaned out, rubbing his now sore chest.

"That you're on a dddaaaattteee?" she giggled, tossing her notepad on the nearby counter. She put her hands on her hips and fake-pouted.

"Uh it um...I…"

"It doesn't matter." Sarah said, waving her hand dismissively. "Now, who is she? Where'd you meet her? Most importantly...How even did you…?

Delbert sighed and took her by her shoulders.

"You might want to sit for this one."

Sarah sat in the chair near the kitchen's window, then stared at him.

"Now tell me, Delbert."

Delbert took a deep breath and started pacing a little.

"Well uh… Where to begin? Um… Ok, so you remember Treasure Planet don't you?"

Sarah just gave him a deadpan look. Delbert blinked then winced.

"O-Of course you remember it. Geez. Well um… W-What did you want to know, again?"

Sarah rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Ok. First of all, who is she?"

"She's Captain Amelia Smollet."

"Wait. _The_ Captain Amelia? Of the RLS Legacy? The ship you hired for the Treasure Planet voyage? Whut? Just… WHUT?" Sarah threw her hands in the air laughing. "What did you do? Everyone knows she isn't into the whole relationships thing!"

Delbert shrugged, laughing a little.

"I'm n-not sure. I was just myself. Although...Being myself was a problem last night."

Sarah's eyes widened, and she bit her lip to refrain from bursting into laughter.

"Delbert... _noooo..._ You didn't...Did you?"

Delbert's face burned as he realized what she was thinking. He gasped and waved his hands in front of him as if to erase the idea.

"What?! No No! No! Not that at all! I kind of stood her up yesterday and she punched me when I went to apologize! Oh goodness Sarah! No!"

Sarah laughed hysterically and it took her a moment to calm down. When she finally got air back, she smiled and wiped her tears away.

"G-Good. I was...Concerned. O-Ok so...I guess all my questions have been answered. You better get back out there before she leaves you." Sarah said smiling, standing and grabbing her notepad and sliding back out into the dining area.

Delbert smiled and smoothed out his shirt, then took a few deep breaths to force his face to turn back to it's normal color. Once he was calm again, he walked back out to the table where Amelia sat… With another man. They were both laughing, Amelia's cheeks were burning red, and the man looked like he was having a heart attack from laughing so hard.

Delbert walked to the table, ready to confront the two, but instantly deflated when he realized it was Jim.

For some reason, he wore a tuxedo. Delbert smiled and gently touched his shoulder, which caused both him and Amelia to look up.

"Hello, Jim. Enjoying yourself?"

"Oh, hey Doc! Yeah, Captain Amelia was just telling me about last night. Which explains why you had an ice pack on your nose this morning." he said with a chuckle. He stood and let Delbert sit back down.

Amelia shrugged when Delbert gave her a questioning look, wondering how she and Jim were suddenly getting along so well.

"So, Jim? Why are you so dressed up?"

Jim shrugged and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I've gotta go to some wedding for a friend this afternoon. Exciting." he said rolling his eyes, then smiled and shook Amelia's hand.

"Hopefully I'll see you around, Captain."

Amelia nodded and gave Delbert a small smile.

"Hopefully. Goodbye James."

"See ya at home, Doc."

"Bye, Jim." Delbert smiled.

When Delbert looked back to Amelia, she was smiling and sipping her water again.

"He's turning out quite nicely, isn't he?" she said softly.

Delbert nodded, noticing how her smile was softer than usual.

"Amelia? Are you alright?"

Amelia looked up, then nodded.

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine. I was merely thinking…"

Delbert smiled and tilted his head.

"About w-what, may I ask?"

Amelia hesitated. As much as she cared for Delbert, there was always that tinge of fear that he wouldn't want to be with her, or that she would finally open her heart to him and he wouldn't like what he found there. She had approached this relationship with caution, and that wasn't about to change now.

"It's nothing." she said, forcing a smile. But Delbert could read her like a book at this point. She was cautious. Guarded. Afraid, even. He needed to prove to her that he would never hurt her.

"Amelia…. Please." he said softly, reaching across the table and gently touching her hand.

She flinched a little, but allowed him to hold her hand and rub her knuckles with his thumb. She looked up at him, and smiled at the acceptance she found in his eyes. She had spent so long holding in her emotions... It had made her miserable. She was done hiding her heart. There was a time to be cautious, and a time to ambitious. This was one of those times. The doors of her heart had been locked for far too long. It was time to let someone in.

"I was just...Thinking that...If I ever have children of my own… I'd want them to turn out just like James." her voice was soft and vulnerable, and she avoided Delbert's eyes.

This was a side of her that Delbert had never thought he would see. It was as if the stoic Captain Amelia had peeled away, and now there was just...Amelia. The real Amelia. The one who wanted a family someday. The one who loved to laugh, and wanted to share her love of the stars with someone who loved them just as much.

"Amelia."

Amelia looked up from her glass and tried not to blush as much as she knew she was. Delbert just smiled and squeezed her hand lightly. He didn't have to say anything… She knew what he meant. He also shared her thought, and wanted her to know that nothing was wrong with wanting a family.

They settled into comfortable conversation after that, chatting about The Legacy and Amelia's future voyages. They were in the middle of talking about where Silver had gone when Sarah arrived with some food.

"Sorry, but you two never ordered, so I brought you something."

Amelia smiled.

"Thank you, Ms. Hawkins."

Sarah grinned and squeezed her shoulder.

"Anything for you two!" And with that, she was off again.

When they finished their meal, Amelia stretched and laughed as Delbert burped.

"Oops. Excuse me."

"It's fine, Delbert. By the way...You never told me why you said money only helps sometimes."

Delbert froze. He thought she had forgotten about that.

"O-Oh. Um…"

Amelia crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Well?"

Delbert's brain went into hyperdrive as she tried to think of a way out of this. Then he realized, he didn't have to tell her…

"Why d-don't I just s-show you?"

 **A/N: Hey guys! Wow this chapter is a little longer. I'm actually typing this at work sooooo yeah. Lol i hope you guys like it! Thank you to Spirit Marcher, brave kid, and clnvl for favoriting and reviewing this story! And thanks to Spirit Marcher, brave kid, clnvl and Firefall Bangenthump for following it! I'll try to keep updating! Don't forget to put words in the reviews that you want me to incorporate into the story! :D Love ya! (oh and I also understand that this chapter didn't go along with the words that well but it was hard o.o lol)**


	4. Chapter 4: Declaration

**A/N: Update! Yay! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, read, favorited, or followed this fanfic! 3 Not even close to finishing but I'm so grateful to those who read my fics. :D**

 _D: Declaration_

It took a lot to render Amelia speechless. It took a lot just to make her hesitate. But somehow, as soon as she walked into Delbert's home, she couldn't think of anything to say. The high ceilings and walls covered in books and documents were a tad bit overwhelming, and the intricate molding and design made her stop in her tracks.

Delbert returned from tossing their shoes into the hall closet, and gently tapped Amelia's arm.

"Amelia? Are you a-alright? I...I'm sorry it's such a m-mess."

Amelia quietly shook herself out of her daze and smiled.

"I suppose I...Wasn't expecting such a large and extravagant house."

Delbert rubbed the back of his neck nervously and chuckled weakly.

"O-Oh. It was my p-parents before they m-moved back to my home p-planet."

Amelia nodded and slowly walked in the living area.

"It's magnificent. Although… The books and such are a bit unnerving. Don't you have someone who cleans this for you?"

Delbert laughed nervously and walked her over to the couch.

"Um… No, actually. Sarah has been trying to get me to get someone but..I d-don't feel the need to."

Amelia rolled her eyes and sat down, facing him.

"It's a mess, Delbert."

Delbert sat next to her and tried not to get angry.

"It's an _organized_ mess, Amelia."

Amelia just shrugged and rested her arm on the back of the couch, then supported her head with her hand.

"So, Delbert. You have yet to tell me why we came here."

Delbert blinked, then avoided her gaze and played with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Oh. Well um… You asked me what I m-meant by… "money only helps s-sometimes"...So…"

Amelia looked at him and tilted her head, then suddenly realized part of what he meant.

"Delbert… Just how well off _are_ you?"

Delbert looked at her and forced a smile.

"Err… Well off enough that I c-can afford to hire both t-the best captain to e-ever come out of the A-Academy… And the b-best ship… Leave f-for a few m-months...And still be able to pay to build Sarah and Jim's new home… With m-money to s-spare…" he said softly, his cheeks bright red.

Amelia just stared at him, truly speechless.

"...You… Wow. Delbert, I had no idea."

"I d-don't enjoy tossing my w-wealth around."

"An admirable trait indeed." Amelia said with a smile.

"O-Oh. Yes. Glad you think so." Delbert said, smiling also.

"Indeed...Nothing is more of a turn-off than a man that uses his wealth as a persuasion tool." She looked around room as she mused.

Delbert felt his stomach do little flips as he watched the breeze from the nearby open window blow her hair a bit. She truly was beautiful, and that just made Delbert wonder why she had chosen him out of all the men she could've had. He knew that almost all of the single male population of Montressor (and even some who aren't single) saw her as desirable, and many had tried sweeping her off of her feet. But with every try, they failed. It was as if with each man that came calling, Amelia got more and more cold and distant. And the men that tried weren't wimpy little perverts either. We're talking other well-known captains, movie stars...Almost anyone with a reputation for being drop-dead gorgeous would try at Amelia Smollet. Delbert was nothing of the sort. He wasn't that well-known, had money that not many knew about, wasn't that muscular, was clumsy and not really coordinated…

So why had she chosen him? Did he really deserve her?

Amelia fought back a giggle as she realized Delbert was staring at her, a soft smile on his face. She decided not to bring attention to it, and instead just tapped his nose gently, bringing him out of his little trance. He blinked a few times, then blushed furiously.

"U-Um h-huh?"

Amelia merely smiled.

"You zoned out for a moment, Delbert."

Delbert rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"O-Oh. I apologize."

Amelia shrugged and stretched, her shirt sliding up a little as she stretched her arms over her head. Delbert looked away, then stood.

"Amelia? I still have to finish a-answering your question. Would you...C-Come with me?" he said softly, his palms getting sweaty.

"Of course. I don't have much of a choice. Lead the way." She stood and followed him, still staring at the piles of books that went all the way to the ceiling as they walked.

"Almost there… Just through this door."

When Amelia turned her attention back to where Delbert had led her, her jaw actually dropped. The room was huge, bigger than all the other rooms. The walls were literally the Etherium. Every wall was covered with stars, planets, galaxies...Everything. Each wall had dozens of panels which Amelia assumed Delbert himself had programmed to show images of the Etherium in real time. The black carpet was plush and soft, and off at the very back wall was a huge telescope. It was gold with silver accents, and the base was surrounded by various maps on the floor. There were no windows, and the stars on the walls were the only light, but there were so many that there didn't need to be any other light sources.

"Delbert...I… What…"

"W-Welcome my Observatory…" he said softly, closing the door behind him and allowing her to walk the room.

She moved slowly, gently touching the walls and marveling at just how beautiful everything was.

"This...This is...Magnificent...I...I've never seen anything so beautiful…"

"I may have seen...Something c-close to it before..." Delbert trailed off under his breath, watching as Amelia continued to explore with childlike wonder. His cheeks burned, and he was glad Amelia hadn't heard him.

"You could get lost in here. Spend your whole life in here and never know what's happening on the outside… Just…Escape. If I were you, I'd probably never leave this room." she said with a smile.

"Sometimes I d-don't… But it d-does get a t-tad l-lonely in h-here."

"I can imagine."

Amelia imagined Delbert sitting alone in this room, watching the stars that played on the walls, and wondered if he had ever thought of her while in here. Suddenly, she found herself blushing and knew that a focus change was needed. She quietly walked over to the telescope and smiled over at Delbert who walked up near her.

"This telescope is marvelous. Where ever did you find it?"

"My parents found it and left here for me… Said it was so I can 'keep on pursuing my dreams' and such. It adjusts daily, and also records certain events in case I happen to miss something."

Amelia gingerly ran her fingertips over the intricate designs along the side of the telescope and smiled.

"Your parents must love you dearly… To leave you this, and to leave you this house."

"Oh y-yes. I...Yes, they do."

It was then that Amelia noticed just how clean the room was, despite how messy the rest of the house was.

"Delbert...Why exactly is the rest of your house such a mess?"

Delbert shrugged and avoided her eyes.

"Well, I'm usually out there working and all… Plus Jim, Sarah, BEN and Morph are all here so…"

Amelia tilted her head as she thought. She looked around and suddenly it hit her.

"Delbert… This is what you meant, isn't it?"she turned and looked at him.

"W...What would m-make you...T-Think that?" he stuttered, avoiding her eyes.

"Well...You have all this wealth. You have this mansion and this observatory… But I also understand that once their home is built, Ms. Hawkins, James, and the others will be gone. You'll be alone in this house. Is that what you meant? You have money… but that doesn't bring you happiness. It doesn't replace companionship."

"You...Um...Well...Yes. I s-suppose that's what I m-meant."

"I understand how you feel." Amelia stared at the stars on the walls as she spoke. "I don't have as much wealth as you, but I do have reputation. Reputation, respect…"

"A magnificent ship."

Amelia smiled and nodded.

"Yes, that as well. I have all of those wonderful things, but being respected and honored doesn't make living alone any easier." Amelia felt her face burning, realizing that she had never spoken these feelings aloud. "I apologize Delbert. I suppose I went into a bit of a tangent there."

"No, no it's alright. I… I'm g-glad you...U-Understand how I f-feel. M-Most people don't."

Amelia smiled and gently tapped his nose.

"They don't understand because they aren't us."

"Obviously." Delbert laughed, his nose twitching slightly.

Around half an hour later, Delbert and Amelia can be found near the telescope. Amelia sat in the chair that was connected to the telescope, her legs hanging off on the side where Delbert was, who sat on the floor holding several starmaps.

"This one should show the Lagoon Nebula somewhere…" he said softly, turning one map around repeatedly.

Amelia rolled her eyes and stuck her hand out, smirking as Delbert handed over the map in defeat.

"Honestly, Delbert. You'd think that as long as you've been an astrophysicist…"

"Well, I've been a bit busy the past few weeks." Delbert said defensively, watching her expertly point out where the Lagoon Nebula was and mark it.

"Doing what, exactly?" Amelia said somewhat distractedly, folding the map back up.

"Oh, you know. Helping Sarah out at The Benbow, giving speeches at the Academy…" Delbert's cheeks burned as he spoke. "Spending time with you…"

Amelia hesitated, then handed the now folded map back to Delbert.

"You have been quite the busy bee, haven't you?" she said with a smile, allowing her eyes to meet his as she passed it to him.

Delbert smiled, then suddenly lost himself in her emerald eyes. They sat there in silence, staring into each other's eyes, neither of them really sure what to do next. Amelia finally looked away, the tips of her ears burning. Delbert looked back at the map in his hand, trying to think of something to say. Instead, Amelia spoke.

"A-Ahem. Anyway… Speaking of the Lagoon Nebula… James mentioned something about seeing it in Flint's portal back on Treasure Planet."

"O-Oh, um...y-yes. I wonder if that portal is still active?" Delbert felt a wave of relief flood his body. That moment was starting to become overwhelming.

"I wouldn't think so." Amelia said softly, glad that they could change the subject so quickly. "The planet did explode."

"But perhaps the basics of the portal are still intact. Perhaps one day portals will be the main method of travel."

"I would hope not." Amelia said with a smile. "Then I'd be out of a job. Your average Joe would merely need to buy a small dinghy and would be able to go wherever they like in a flash."

"Amelia, I'm sure someone would still book voyages. Nothing compares to a ride on The Legacy. Even under the condescending hand of a certain Captain Amelia." Delbert said with a smile, and Amelia rolled her eyes.

"Delbert, you must admit, it wasn't that bad."

Delbert smiled and let himself blush.

"No, no it wasn't."

Amelia looked down at him on the floor and smiled, blushing as well.

Suddenly, moments from the Treasure Planet voyage flashed through both of their minds at high speed. Specifically the times when they found themselves alone. Suddenly, an alarm went off.

"What is that?"

Delbert stood and jogged over to the telescopes command board. He grinned and turned off the alarm, then walked to Amelia and made some adjustments on the telescopes focus area. When he finished, he took a step back and smiled.

"Go ahead and look."

Amelia looked at him with her eyebrow raised, then looked into the telescope. Suddenly, a huge splash of color and light filled her view. There was a rainbow of color, and little sparks around the edges of the explosion, almost like a firework made of rainbow paint.

"Oh my… Delbert, what…?"

"It's an exploding nebula not too far from here. I k-knew it was going to e-explode soon and...I w-wanted you to s-see."

"Delbert...I…I don't know what to say...This is...Wow." Amelia sat back in the chair and smiled up at Delbert. "That was beautiful."

"I'm g-glad you liked it."

Amelia smiled and looked away, then repositioned herself in the chair. It was then that her hand brushed something on the side of the chair.

"Wait. What...What's this?"

Delbert tilted his head, then went to the other side of the chair and looked where her hand was.

"Huh. I'm not sure what that is. It looks like a button."

"You've had this telescope for how long?"

"About 10 years."

"And you've never noticed this button?"

"N-No…"

Amelia rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, Delbert. You need to be more observant."

"I...I am observant."

"Right."

Amelia shrugged and put her finger on the button.

"Only way to find out what this does...Is to push it."

Delbert blinked and tried to stop her.

"Wait, Amelia!"

Amelia pushed the button, and suddenly the chair swiveled to the left, knocking Delbert off of his feet…..And right on top of Amelia in the chair. Both of them groaned in pain, but when Delbert pushed himself up on his elbows, they realized the predicament they were in. Amelia had been sitting in the chair sideways again with her legs over the side, but when the chair spun, it moved her back facing the eyepiece. When Delbert fell, he fell right on top of her, their faces level so they had bonked heads. Both of their foreheads were red.

The telescope's eyepiece had lowered itself, so Delbert couldn't push himself all the way up, and had wedged them together. Their faces were only about 3 inches apart.

"...U-Um...S-Sorry about t-t-that." Delbert whispered, his face beet red.

Amelia stared into his eyes, unsure what to do, her head hurt and her vision was a little off.

"It...It's alright." Amelia blushed as her vision cleared. "T-This is why you should be more...O-Observant." She smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"P-Perhaps I am...N-Now." Delbert smiled.

Soon, the only sound in the room was the whirring of the telescope adjusting and the sound of their breathing.

"Maybe we should...Get up." Delbert whispered, realizing how the telescope eyepiece was digging into his back.

"And how do you propose we do that?" Amelia said with a smirk.

"Well...Um…Excuse me for this."

Amelia looked at him warily. "For what..? Delbert?"

Delbert blushed furiously as he slid his hand under her body and pulled her tight against him, allowing them more space to slide out. She yelped, but laughed when they fell out of the chair and hit the floor. Delbert continued to blush, but laughed with her.

After their laughter subsided, Amelia looked over at Delbert, who lay on his back also, the plush carpet making them both a bit sleepy.

"That was bloody interesting." she said with a smile, and Delbert smiled back.

"V-Very much so." He looked up at the ceiling and sighed.

A few minutes later, he looked over at her again, and saw that her eyes were closed.

"Amelia?"

She opened her eyes slowly, looking over at him lazily, as if he was interrupting her time. But the smile on her face told him otherwise. She was just enjoying herself.

"Yes, Delbert?"

Amelia searched his face, wondering why he seemed so...Conflicted. I mean, sure, she was conflicted too. But...Somehow seeing him conflicted hurt her. But...Why? Why did it seem like sometimes he was more important to her than her own self? Why was seeing him the highlight of her day? Why did she suddenly want to be with him...When she hadn't wanted to be with anyone since she left the Academy all those years ago? Why did she give him chance after chance when he messed up? If anyone else had messed up that badly, they would've gotten quite a verbal berating and Amelia would've disassociated herself with them. What made Delbert so different?

Perhaps it was her. She had changed so much. She was still Captain Amelia, the stoic, independent woman who didn't take crap from anyone… But with Delbert, she was just Amelia. Amelia the woman who had so much to give, and no one to give it to. Maybe it was the way he looked at her. He looked at her as if she were the only person in the world. Like she was a diamond in a world full of boulders. And maybe to him...She was.

"Delbert? Are you alright?" she whispered, her eyes locked with his.

Delbert bit his lip. After all they'd been through. All the pain, suffering, and turmoil they'd experienced. All the times he had let her down… How could he feel this way about her? How could just seeing her brighten up his day? How could hearing her laugh make his heart swell? Why did he think about her so often? It was as if night and day didn't matter anymore. Amelia was his sun...His moon...His everything. She was all he thought about; all he ever wanted to think about. This feeling… This unbelievable feeling of purpose… As if he lived to make her smile; lived to comfort her when she needed it. Memories from Treasure Planet came flooding back, and suddenly he realized why he felt this way.

Delbert blushed and smiled as Amelia scooted closer, their hands touching softly.

"It's nothing, Amelia. I'm fine."

Amelia smiled, then raised an eyebrow.

'Well, if you have nothing… I have a declaration."

Delbert smiled, expecting a snide remark and a smirk. Instead, Amelia blushed furiously and avoided his eyes. Her next words came out in a whisper.

"I… I think I...h-have feelings for you..."

Delbert blushed furiously, speechless as Amelia's eyes finally met his.

"I love you, Delbert."

 **A/N: This was a pain in the butt to write lol I had sooo many ideas and not a good way to fit them in. The word 'declaration' didn't apply till the very end, and I feel like I could fix that… If I wasn't exhausted XD anyway, review and let me know if you like it! 3 love ya!**


	5. Chapter 5: Equals

_**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the long pause… I've been busy with work and stuff. Plus I get my wisdom teeth pulled on June 18th… Meh. Anyway, enjoy! Also, this chapter is a year after the last chapter.**_

 _E: Equals_

The letter itself wasn't anything special. It didn't catch anyone's eye when it slid into the "outgoing" bin at the post office. It didn't call any attention to itself as it was dumped into it's proper mailbag. It slid into it's intended mailbox amidst the regular bills and propaganda, it's "urgent" stamp not raising any alarm in the mailman. It sat in it's mailbox for hours, until the wee hours of the night, when the couple who dwelled in the house that the mailbox was for decided to grab the mail on their way in from a day out. It wasn't even noticed as the couple tossed the mail on the dining room table and ran off laughing to the observatory, one of them yelling about the other 'getting what was coming to them'. It was ignored even more when the couple came down in their robes, chatting about breakfast. It was only when the female sat down and finally tore her attention from her husband that the letter was noticed.

"Delbert?"

"Yes, love?" the answer came from the kitchen, the slight smell of pancakes wafting out.

"You...You might want to see this."

Delbert walked out, wiping his wet hands on a dry dish towel. He walked behind Amelia and kissed her cheek, before taking the letter.

"What's this about?" he asked, looking at the plain white envelope. "It's got the Royal Navy seal. That could only mean… Amelia, no."

Amelia looked at him, thoroughly confused.

"Delbert…"

"I said no, woman." he growled, then dropped the envelope in the garbage and walked back into the kitchen.

Amelia rolled her eyes and followed him.

"Honestly, Delbert… Don't be so melodramatic."

"I'm not being melodramatic. I'm being protective."

Delbert went back to his pancakes, flipping them. His back was to her, but Amelia could see how tense he was. He was honestly angry.

"Protective of what, dear?" she asked softly, hugging him from behind.

He relaxed a little when she hugged him, but his anger was still pretty evident.

"What do you think, Amelia? What else would I want to protect?"

"Oh...I don't know. Your home, your reputation…"

Delbert rolled his eyes and turned around, wrapping his arms around Amelia's waist.

"You, honey. It's you."

"I'm flattered." Amelia deadpanned, then smiled. "Why are you so worried and angry? It's just another voyage… It will just be me and my very respectable, capable crew. I'll see to it."

Delbert sighed and led her back to the dining room, then pulled out her chair and let her sit back down.

"But it won't just be you and your crew Amelia."

Amelia rolled her eyes and sat back, fighting a smile.

"They're not even fully formed yet, Delbert."

"But anything traumatic could stunt their growth or affect it negatively."

Amelia sighed and crossed her arms.

"So, I'm not allowed to go because our children _might_ end up disfigured?"

Delbert nodded and walked back to the kitchen, then returned with their breakfast. He set hers down in front of her and sat next to her.

"Plus, stress isn't good for babies."

"You mean these sacks of cells floating around in my stomach?"

Delbert stared at his wife for a moment, wondering why she had suddenly turned bitter.

"Yes. Those."

Amelia hissed softly and stared off into the middle distance. After a few moments of her silence and the soft chewing sounds of Delbert enjoying his pancakes, Amelia spoke.

"So what am I supposed to tell the Navy? That I can't go on the voyage because my husband said no? That would destroy my reputation as an upstanding captain."

Delbert rolled his eyes and pushed her pancakes closer to her.

"Amelia, eat."

Amelia reluctantly ate, mumbling obscenities. When she finished, she stood.

"I'm going to take a shower." she paused, then looked at Delbert, who looked pretty amused. "Not because you think I should, because I know that's what you're thinking. I'm taking one because I want to."

"Alright, dear." Delbert said with a chuckle, grabbing their dirty dishes and walking back to the kitchen.

Amelia trudged up the stairs, pouting the whole way. What was happening to her? She was losing her touch. Since when did she take orders? Since when did she...Obey? She wasn't a pet. She wasn't a child. So… Why did she let Delbert tell her what to do sometimes? When did she change? As she grabbed her towel for her shower, she realized when exactly she had changed.

The day he asked her to marry him, and the minute she said yes. That was it. That was when she suddenly lost her 'captain's status' in his eyes. She wasn't Captain Amelia… At that point in time, she was Amelia, his fiance'.

She wasn't Captain Amelia Smollet anymore. Now she was Captain Amelia Doppler, or just Amelia Doppler. To Delbert, she was his stubborn, yet lovable, wife. That was why he treated her like a whiny child at times. He knew the ins and outs of her, and knew pretty much how to handle her stubborn streaks. Amelia felt her cheeks burn when she realized that she did tend to act like a frustrated child when he didn't let her have her way. She kind of knew she'd have to relinquish some of her power when they got married, seeing as this was a 'mutual love and respect' situation, but neither she nor Delbert had expected her to grow into the role of the loving wife and (almost) mother so quickly. Now that they were married, she wasn't ranked above him, and he wasn't ranked above her. They were on the same level. And Amelia hadn't been ready for that.

"Amelia? You alright in here?"

Amelia looked up from the bed, her towel in hand. Delbert stood in the doorway, a puzzled look on his face. He walked to her and sat down on the bed next to her, then put his arm around her shoulders.

"You've been up here for half an hour and haven't showered yet? Are you alright, love? Are the children alright?"

Amelia felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. Even after dealing with her little stubborn outbursts, he was still just as concerned and loving as ever.

"I'm fine. The children are fine. Everything is...Fine."

Delbert kissed her cheek, then held her close.

"So why do I feel like nothing is truly 'fine'?"

Amelia sighed and leaned into his hold. After a few moments, she pulled the letter from the Navy out of her robe. Delbert let her go and stared at it.

"Delbert, I know you're worried. I know you don't want me to go. I know you feel like you have all the control in this situation but… I need to go. As much as I love you, and love our life here… I'm a spacer. I always have been, and always will be. I need to be out there. You, of all people, should understand. I love being your wife but… I'm not used to being… Equal. I'm used to outranking others. I'm used to making my own decisions and choicesm regardless of what others say."

"Do you not like being equal? Is being my wife too much equality?" he said softly, avoiding her eyes.

"Delbert… That's not what I'm saying at all."

"Then what are you saying?"

"I'm saying I need to go on this voyage. Whatever it is."

"And there's nothing I can do to stop you?"

Amelia hesitated, then slid closer to him.

"Well… No… But it would be nice to have your support, love. Please?" she said softly, kissing his nose.

Delbert looked up at her, then smiled.

"I believe I have a better idea."

 **3 Weeks Later…**

"Ship is ready for launch, Captain!"

"Commence launch!"

Amelia fought back the urge to laugh with joy as the Legacy lifted off from the Spaceport and slid out into the Etherium. She felt a warm, fuzzy feeling flow from the top of her head down to her toes, and she allowed herself to smile. She had missed this. She had missed feeling the wind in her hair, the tug of her (now white due to a promotion) navy coat as it blew behind her, the confidence her long sleek boots gave her… It was unlike any other feeling in the world. She looked around and smiled. She had missed seeing the stars up close like this.

The Legacy was new and improved. It was faster, sleeker, smoother, shinier… Everything. There had even been some additions, such as a bigger kitchen, more sleeping quarters, and entertainment center for when the crew needed to blow off steam or video chat with family back home. Most of the improvements were made to prevent future mutinies, and had been lovingly suggested by one overprotective Canid.

Speaking of which…

"Launch commenced beautifully, Captain. The Legacy is handling conditions well for its first launch since testing, we have sufficient fuel, and the oxygen shield is at 100% performance."

"Good. Very good. Thank you, First Mate."

"You're welcome, Captain."

Amelia made sure the crew couldn't hear as she whispered her next sentence.

"And may I say… That uniform looks fantastic on you."

Delbert smirked slightly, already knowing this.

"Well, thank you Captain. Yours looks wonderful on you as well."

Amelia smiled and bit her lip. He really did look good. Like… Really good.

He wore the basic Navy uniform: white jacket, white pants, gold buttons, black undershirt, white shoes… But he also had a few medals stating his credentials. And instead of just plain white, his jacket had gold trim, to match the gold trim on Amelia's uniform. His hair was still in its usual ponytail (since he refused to cut it), but instead of a red ribbon to hold it back, he had a white ribbon.

It had taken a little whining and persuading, but eventually Amelia and Delbert had convinced the Navy to allow Delbert to be the Legacy's First Mate. There had been the whole issue of whether or not he was qualified… If he would pose a distraction due to the fact that he and Amelia were married… If the rest of the crew would listen to him… But in the end, the Navy council agreed that Delbert was right for the job. Plus, Amelia threatened to quit doing voyages for them if they denied. So there he was, ruling the Legacy with Amelia, while also taking advantage of the extra time they had on their hands.

Everyone on the ship knew they were together, but no one brought it up. Amelia had seen to it that she had a permanent crew now, one that she could count on. Both she and Delbert had personally checked every crew member's background, family members, etc… So there wasn't a chance of any mutinies. In fact, the crew got along wonderfully. They treated Amelia and Delbert with the utmost respect. And after a long talk, Amelia had decided that she could be a little more… Tender when it came to her crew. She actually smiled around them, and didn't mind their well-meaning compliments. This had forged a bond between the ship's inhabitants, making Amelia feel more in control and safe than she had ever felt when she was a cold-hearted, unfeeling captain.

"Captain?" she looked down from the Bridge and smiled. Mr. Slurpeshi stood saluting from below, a smile on his face. He had dirty blonde hair, tan skin, and a smile that lit up a room. He, like most of the crew, was a human.

"Yes, Mr. Slurpeshi?"

"The crew would like permission to take a break."

Amelia laughed inwardly. They loved breaks, didn't they?

"Of course. Permission granted."

Slurpeshi grinned and saluted again.

"Thank you, Ma'am."

Soon, the whole crew except for Mr. Forsk (he overlooked the ship just in case, and didn't take breaks much) had disappeared below decks. Suddenly, Amelia felt Delbert wraps his arms around her from behind.

"D-Delbert...What are you…?"

Delbert pouted.

"What? I can't just hold you?"

Amelia rolled her eyes.

"Not out here you can't." she said with a smile, sliding out of his arms. "Come with me."

Delbert followed her to their quarters, which was basically Amelia's old stateroom, with a bigger bed and desk. Once there, Amelia laughed as he hugged her again. She kicked the door closed, and soon they were rolling around on the floor tickling each other.

"Amelia?"

"Mm?" she responded sleepily.

They lay in the dark in bed, Amelia's back to Delbert's front, both of them pretty exhausted from the day. All the lights were off, so the only illumination was from the stars outside the huge window behind Amelia's desk. Delbert's head was propped up by his hand, as he gently ran his fingers through Amelia's hair. He knew it would put her to sleep soon, but he couldn't resist doing it.

"How are you feeling?"

Amelia opened one eye and rolled onto her back, her face inches from his.

"Are you asking about the children...Again?" she said quietly.

"Does that surprise you?" he said with a chuckle. "Why wouldn't I be concerned?"

Amelia just smiled and blinked slowly, obviously seconds from sleep.

"The children… are fine. Now, go to sleep."

Delbert smiled and kissed her lips softly, watching her finally fall asleep. He ran his fingers through her hair one more time before yawning and going to bed himself. As he slowly fell asleep, he moved his hand to her stomach and smiled as he thought about the 4 little ones floating around in there. It was moments like this that made him glad Jim had found that map. He never thought he would be here, a commander on the best ship in the Royal Navy, his loving wife next to him, his hand almost touching his unborn babies. This was true happiness. As much as she denied it, Amelia was just like Delbert. She loved their little ones already, and couldn't wait for them to be born.

They were equally excited for their family to begin.

 _ **A/N: What is this thing. Seriously. Wut. I… I don't… Ugh. Shame. *facepalm* SO much shame. Not happy with this. I had no idea how to end it… It went in all sorts of directions… Finding a word that fit was really hard… That last sentence was a piece of crap… Ugh. Geez. Ok guys, uh… yeah. Next chapter will be better, hopefully. Ugh. Review please. I'm just gonna go stand in the corner. *walks away shaking my head***_


	6. Chapter 6: Favorites

**A/N: Hiiiii guys! Wow… It's been a bit. Anyway, I've been busy with wisdom teeth pain, work, social life stuff… Yeah. Oh, and I saw Inside Out… SUCH AN AMAZING MOVIE OMG YOU HAVE NOOOOOO IDEA HOW MUCH I LOVED IT! Joy is my favorite character :D I dunno why (probably becuz im a huge Disney detail nerd) but the main thing I loved about Joy's character design was that she always glowed. She was always glowing! None of the other emotions glowed, only her. Plus I loved her hair 3 It was just… Wow. ALSO, I loved the fact that all the other emotions wore shoes sort of, but Joy just slid around with no shoes on and that made her just so… Free and happy ^-^ lol she's my wallpaper and profile pic on everything now XD ANYWAY… Rambling o.o HERES MORE AMELIA/DELBERT FLUFF**

 _F: Favorites_

One of the things she really loved about him was his hair. It was pretty long, almost to his shoulders, and he refused to have it cut. When they first started dating, Amelia had casually mentioned the length of it, and Delbert had gone off into a tangent about how he was "so tired" of people complaining about his hair. The only thing that had shut him up was her scratching him behind his ear. Amelia laughed to herself whenever she remembered how he had melted against her, his tail wagging furiously. After she had her fill of driving him nuts, she explained that she liked how long it was. He had then apologized for going off on her, and they had continued their date.

Anyway, the main thing Amelia loved about his hair was the way it felt. Honestly, Delbert had just the softest hair. It was soft, fluffy, and always smelled like cinnamon. Amelia compared it to running your fingers through pure cotton. Delbert used to complain about how often she would run her fingers through it when they were just cuddling, but now he apparently welcomed it. Sometimes he would come home after a long day of mapping out new constellations and such, and would just collapse on the couch, dropping his head in her lap. She would roll her eyes, then run her fingers through his hair, reading her book at the same time. He would fall asleep soon after, and would only wake up when Amelia stopped.

Delbert loved everything about Amelia, but most of all, he loved her eyes. Those sharp green windows to her soul had been what drew him in. He remembered the first time their eyes had met, and he was given a little glimpse of what made her...Amelia. They were sitting in BEN's home on Treasure Planet, and Amelia had been shivering in her sleep. Delbert had draped his coat over her, allowing her to use his chest as a pillow. He had struggled to explain why he moved her into his lap when she finally did wake up, and she had let him ramble until he noticed her deadpan expression. Her eyebrow had been raised, but amusement with a tinge of adoration had sparkled in her eyes. Once he saw that little piece of her, he was pretty much addicted. He longed to just stare into those eyes… Find out more. He remembered the night after they had returned to Montressor from Treasure Planet. He had just laid in bed, hands behind his head, thinking about her. He remembered thinking about how he longed to see her again, hear her laugh, feel her hugs… Look into those eyes. After they had agreed to start a relationship, he loved those 'awkward moments' where they would just stare into each other's eyes and smile, while the rest of the world wondered how in the world these two worked.

Delbert and Amelia both loved all their children, but did have their favorites, just like every other parent (haha). Amelia's favorite was Daniel. It was mostly because he looked exactly like her husband, and had some of the same little quirks. Daniel slept with a goofy smile on his face, just like his father, and both were not morning people.

Delbert's favorite was of course Rachel, due to the fact that not only did she look like Amelia, but their personalities were almost identical. Amelia got sarcastically snarky when upset, as did Rachel. Amelia's smile was always slightly crooked, and Rachel shared that same smile.

With Hannah and Sky, they each had a mix of both parents. Hannah was a bookworm, with a love of adventure. Sky was energetic, with a love for the stars. Hannah tended to be quiet during a conflict like her father, but when she did speak, she threw sarcastic remarks and off-handed but good-natured jokes out like it was nothing, exactly like Amelia. Sky usually jumped at the chance to solve a conflict like Amelia, but once she was in the middle of something, her tongue got all twisted and freudian slips spilled out, like Delbert.

Each child loved both their parents, but (of course) had favorites too. Rachel was a daddy's girl, and often butted heads with her mother, due to the fact that their personalities were so similar. Hannah was a mommy's girl, but got pretty flustered and frustrated around her mother, but only because she couldn't stick her bottom lip out and pout to get what she wanted, like she could with her father. Sky was also a daddy's girl, but got frustrated when Delbert didn't understand her sarcastic remarks. And last but not least, Daniel was of course his mother's little baby. He shared the same love and adoration that his father had for Amelia, which made it pretty easy for him to get along with both his parents.

Every member of the Doppler family loved each other, and each had their favorites, but that didn't make it tense or weird for them. Of course each had little annoying quirks, like how Delbert sometimes snored, or how Amelia sometimes had to have jokes explained before she could laugh, or how Daniel slept really lightly… Stuff like that.

But at the end of the day, their odd little family was just as tight-knight and loving as could be, and that was everyone's favorite part.

 _ **A/N: Wow, lots of stuff happened this weekend. Graduation parties with water balloons, movies with my dad and his gf, work, friends, stuff like that. (Oh and also i saw Inside Out twice :3 Cried both times :D) ALSO HAPPY BDAY MARKIPLIER! (June 28th) ok, review and stuff! Buh bye!**_


	7. Chapter 7: Gift

_**A/N: Hey guys! This story is kinda taking on a life of it's own, so from now on each chapter is a little one-shot. My current schedule is making it hard to keep with each fic I'm currently writing, so it's just easier on me to not keep this a running plot or anything. I hope you all understand :) Enjoy!**_

The first few were the single roses he sent to the Legacy every day for a week. She'd be up on the Bridge talking to an incompetent trainee, and suddenly a rose would be waiting for her when she returned to her stateroom. Each one had a little note attached, and her day would instantly brighten. They weren't able to see each other every day due to their busy schedules, but when they did get a chance to talk, she would mention the roses, and he would instantly change the subject.

On the 1 year anniversary of the day they agreed to start dating, he pretended to have forgotten. She hinted at it, which made her very uncomfortable. Delbert watched her get frustrated at her own inability to bring it up, and just when she got to the point of wanting to just leave, he pulled out the ring.

The second ring he gave her wasn't really a gift, but she thought of it as one. With the second ring, she wasn't just getting a ring… She was getting another chance at life. A shared life. One she would be able to indulge in for as long as she wanted, without being worried about being abandoned.

The letters they wrote to each other while she was off on voyages were gifts as well. They both kept each one that the other sent, and would pull the letters out when they felt particularly lonely.

During one very long trip (9 months) to the wreckage of an old conflict, Amelia spent most of her time in her stateroom, reading past letters Delbert sent, since she was unable to get much of anything way out where she was. But as soon as she was back within the range of the postage system, she was flooded with letters. She had laughed when the little lizard man in his mail ship pulled next to the Legacy and heaved a bag onto the deck. A good majority of the letters were to her crewmembers whose families were missing them dearly, but even after it was all sorted, she had at least 27 letters from Delbert, Sarah, and Jim. Sarah's letters were always keeping her up to date on the progress and success of the new Benbow Inn. Jim's were always about how he was doing off at the Interstellar Academy, either complaining about the ridiculous training regimen, or telling her about all his new promotions.

Delbert's letters were always special, which was expected. His always started out with how much he missed her, and how excited he was about her return. He would tell her about the boring events he was forced to go to, and tell her about how often people would ask about her. Delbert's letters always filled her with a sense of longing, and she could almost feel him pull her into his arms when his letters ended with: "I can't wait to see you again. All my love, Delbert."

This time, the 'gift' was unintentional, and unexpected. They knew it would happen one day, but were both surprised when it reared it's ugly head with several mornings of vomiting, mood swings, and unbelievably disgusting cravings. There were many days where Amelia would hiss her hatred of life, Delbert, and oxygen. But then 5 minutes after hissing and cursing life itself, she would end up cuddled in Delbert's arms, fast asleep. Delbert's go-to response was to just roll his eyes and give her whatever she wanted, whether it was food, a tummy rub, a foot massage, or just a really long cuddling session. Honestly, some days he felt more exhausted than she was.

This gift even had the ability to multiply without any notice. Both Delbert and Amelia had been speechless when the doctor grinned and told them to expect 4 kids instead of one. They had been happy, but when he hugged Amelia, something in the back of his mind whispered that things were only going to get more rollercoaster-esque from here.

Over the next few years, a good majority of the gifts given were hand-drawn scribbles and finger paintings, handed to each parent by paint-covered little hands. Adorable toothless smiles adorned chubby little faces when Delbert and Amelia gushed over their presents. Christmas and birthdays were filled with gifts, always soft plushy toys to keep tiny little bodies safe.

Delbert gave Amelia presents for almost every single occasion. She got a promotion? He gave her a night out, just the two of them. She booked a new voyage? He gave her a necklace to remember he and the children by while she was gone.

Even the most miniscule of events prompted him to pamper her. Whether it was an actual gift, or just a night of laughs and cuddles away from the children, she appreciated it. Amelia appreciated how her husband would let her come home and take a long bath, while he picked the children up from Sarah's house and got them ready for bed.

Once the babies were in bed and the lights were off, the house was quiet. The goodnight kisses Delbert and Amelia shared, and the peaceful silence afterwards, were honestly the best gifts anyone could have ever given her.

 _ **A/N:...I have nothing to say about this. So many good intentions and ideas… And then my brain short-circuited and I don't know what happened. Anyway, review, and please give me a word to use for H. I'm so tired right now, I can't even think of anything. Don't forget to review on my other stories! I updated 'Love Songs' even though my computer had a panic attack. Need your opinion! Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more!**_


	8. Chapter 8: Honesty

_H: Honesty_

She had always been very straightforward and honest. Even when she was young she spoke her mind, whether people asked for her opinion or not. After years of being told to "stay in a child's place", she learned to only offer her opinion when asked. Her parents had taught her the importance of honesty, and she had upheld it above all else.

Joining the Royal Navy made her realize that sometimes it was okay to be dishonest. Time after time, she'd had to lie to injured crewmates and soldiers, telling them they would be alright, and that they would see their families again. More often than not, she knew they were dying, but wanted to offer some kind of support in their last moments. It wasn't easy lying to them, but knowing they died with thoughts of home…

After she'd resigned from the Navy and did her own voyages, she'd had to lie mostly to maintain her reputation. Now that she was in a relationship, she still kind of lied, but only because she wasn't a hundred percent comfortable with admitting weakness. Delbert knew her well enough to know when she was fibbing,

"No, I am fine."

"No, I'm not tired."

"I wasn't crying."

And when she was being honest.

"I love you."

 _ **A/N: Ewwwww it's so shoooort! Lol i actually didn't realize that I never finished this chapter… So i had to throw an ending in there because I'm already halfway through chapter 9 XD Review please!**_


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